Literacy volunteers in Derby to hold training for tutors

DERBY - Literacy Volunteers of Greater New Haven, the Valley office, will host training for people interested in tutoring adults in Shelton, Derby, Ansonia, and Seymour. 

If you love to read, have good English language skills that you feel will help others, or feel you have time to help others improve their English reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills, we are looking for you! 

Please call Kathi Hunt, Valley Program Manager, at 203-736-5420, Ext. 267. 
You can also go online at www.lvagnh.org and complete and submit an application under the volunteer section and Hunt will call you when she receives the application. 

The new Valley office is located at 30 Elizabeth St.

Recuperation journey: Happiness is ...

having your nephrologist say that you 'graduated' - meaning my clinic appointments are now only going to be once a month.

That certainly was good to hear this morning. 
I've learned that the post-transplant routine for clinic visits starts with twice a week, gets cut to once a week, then every two weeks, to my new schedule of once a month.

Very happy!

As always I hope my writing about this will help someone with kidney disease or has a loved one suffering with it who might be apprehensive about the transplant process. 

I'd simply say don't be. 
A new healthy organ will improve your quality of life, despite all the meds you will have to take. 

Adam's House in Shelton seeks volunteers

SHELTON - Adam's House is looking for volunteers to help support its mission in the area of events and fundraising. 
The organization is looking for people to be ambassadors by sharing its mission in their communities, plan, and execute events, and fund-raise at different points throughout the year.

A meeting for volunteers will be held at 6 p.m. Monday (Aug. 14) at Adam's House, 241 Coram Ave.

The mission of The Adam Wysota Foundation is to offer grief education and peer support in a home-like setting called Adam's House. 

Adam's House is a safe, healing place for families as they go though their eight-week grief journey. 
Children and their families will gather to draw support from their peers and gain new strategies for dealing with their loss. 

All programs are offered at no cost to participating families. 

This is a press release from Adam's House.

Backbeat brings back musical memories at concert in Ansonia

Backbeat performs Wednesday night at Veterans Park in Ansonia. The band played a variety of songs that are quite familiar to folks of a certain age - from Motown and R&B to classic rock and The Eagles. 
It was a great concert! Audience members, including myself, enjoyed singing along.


Next week the Ansonia Cultural Commission presents the Newington-based, 10-piece Simply Swing band at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Ansonia Nature Center slates September activities

Learn about organic gardening, fiber arts, birds, more 

ANSONIA - The Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Road, has posted its September schedule of activities.

MONDAY NIGHT TRAIL RUN – Mondays in August, September, October, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

This is a call to all of the runners who want something that is out of the ordinary! 

Ranger Dan will lead you through our 156-acre network of trails, while you burn off the weekend's extra calories. 
We guarantee that this FREE program is the best way to start off your week. Please register and wear appropriate footwear.

FAMILY ORGANIC GARDEN PROGRAM – Tuesdays, August, September and October

ANC will be continuing family-friendly activities in our organic garden. Learn about growing a variety of fruits and vegetables. Dress appropriately; keep in mind you will get water and soil on your clothing. FREE, with the potential to take home fresh local produce!

FIBER ARTS GROUP – Tuesdays starting Sept. 5, 5:30–7:30 p.m.

Get together with others to work on your fiber arts projects! Bring any kind of fiber work - knitting, felting, crocheting, etc. A great way to dedicate time to your handiwork and socialize too. FREE.

FALL TERM JUNIOR RANGERS – Registration begins Sept. 7; class runs Thursdays, Sept. 14–Nov. 2, 3:30–5 p.m.

Calling all kids 11 to 14 years old who love nature! Has your child wanted to work with animals, garden, help maintain our trails, and help with special events? 
This is the opportunity to help the Nature Center in our eight-week after-school program. Parental permission is required. Class size is limited; this class fills up fast! FREE.

NATURE EXPLORERS – Wednesdays, Sept. 20, 27; Oct. 4, 11, 10 a.m.

Join Wendy for our preschool/toddler program. This 4-week session is for children ages 2–5 years old with an adult. These outdoor classes will be fun exploring and learning through play. We will learn about nature and science through activities such as hiking, exploring, singing, games, reading, and making crafts. Every class is outside!!!! TUITION: $40 per four-week session (cash or check payable to Ansonia Nature Center).

BIRDS ON THE MOVE – Sept. 30, 9 a.m.

Join Ranger Jess for this informative program. She will concentrate on the end-of-summer journeys taken by our “flying friends” to faraway places each year. Find out who’s going and who’s staying put! FREE.


This is a press release from the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center. 

Recuperation journey: Buh-bye, Acyclovir

Today is the three-month anniversary of my transplant surgery. 
That means the first birthday party I'm planning to host for my new kidney will be in just nine months! 

Since I'm now three months out, today is the last day I have to take an anti-viral infection medication (Acyclovir). 

I was able to stop taking an anti-fungal pill after the first month, and after six months I'm looking forward to stopping an anti-bacterial infection medication, Bactrim. 

I am recording this journey for my own records, but also because I hope to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation. 
If you're a healthy adult, please consider becoming an organ donor. 
It really is the best gift you can give to another person.

Nature Nick brings Animal Adventures to Seymour Public Library

Nature Nick of Sound Beach, Long Island, N.Y. shows children a hedgehog during a presentation Wednesday at Seymour Public Library.

Here Nature Nick shows off a falcon that he said catches its prey in mid-air and can fly as fast as a race car.


Stay tuned for more photos of the presentation in an upcoming Valley Voice newsletter.